Streets of Fire (1984)

[Skeevins 322]

Starring Diane Lane, Rick Moranis, and Willem Dafoe as a murderous Freddie Mercury doppelganger. All I really need to sell this movie is the trailer.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJGo2rvfSuA

[Threadkiller 14]

I gotta bring this one back. Let's just add Willem Defoe in leather overalls to the mix.

 

[Skeevins 322]

Yes! I like to think this is what the Super Mario movie would have been if they had just an ounce more crack.

[Skeevins 322]

CAN YOU HANDLE IT ALREADY?!

 

[DubipR 485]

This is a great little Walter Hill film. This holds on its own....

[DwaineHBaasch 0]

A popular 80s movie with Michael Pare, who must of had pictures of execs with farm animals for the number of times he was being force fed down our cinematic throats. Nevertheless, a cast that also includes Diane Lane, Rick Moranis and Willem Dafoe!!! While the underlying story is a jumbled mess of confusing subplots, trying to figure out the era that this should be set is off the charts nuts! Although it's fun keeping your eyes on the extras and smaller bit actors to ID a number of actors that went on to bigger careers. It's hard to acknowledge this pile of stank being their launching point but its still great seeing (SPOILER ALERT) Ed Begley Jr in low budget "dirty face" for 30-45 seconds of screen time! Guilty pleasure movie for sure, I've seen it about a half dozen times and still feel totally lost on what the F*** is going on? Maybe just a result of the times when studios began to worry more about music videos, than quality scripts. Enjoy!

[Quasar Sniffer 4174]

Considering the love Paul and June seem to have for insane musicals, I'm actually kind of surprised this hasn't been done. It feels like a perfect fit for HDTGM.

[denimgremlin 1179]

I love streets of fire, I don't think it's a bad movie at all, it's weird sure but it's awesome.

[nthurkettle 148]

I adore "Streets of Fire". It's like Joel Silver snorted a whole bathtub full of cocaine and just decided to put everything that gave him teenage boners into one movie. I love how Dafoe's biker gang doesn't even really have a plan for what to do with Diane Lane once they've kidnapped her - they just leave her tied to a bed, clothes intact, and go off to play poker. I love how the so-called heroes in this movie are constantly doing crazy things that escalate bad situations - Pare's big rescue plan boils down to just randomly opening fire on any gang member he sees. Meanwhile, Dafoe's sinister revenge plan against Pare is...to openly request a fair one-on-one fight!

 

And Diane Lane is insanely hot.

[God Damn Monkey 2]

One of Willem Dafoe's earlier films. It is a period piece, it is a musical, it is a biker movie.

IT IS A ROCK N ROLL FABLE.

It is also 100% crazy.

Starring Michael Pare' and Deborah van Valkenburgh of B-movie fame. It also has heavy hitters like Dafoe, Diane Lane and Rick Moranis playing against type, as a tough in a zut suit.

Directed by the guy who directed WARRIORS. Produced by the people who produced 48 Hours

The music from the movie is widely described as sounding like "Lady Meatloaf" but was Written and composed by Stevie Nicks, Rye Cooder and produced by future heavy hitter Jimmy Iovine.

And it is still totally crazy.

That is my favorite combo. Movies that had the talent, should have been gold, but just never came together. The question shouldn't be How did this get made? but rather How did these people recover and still have huge careers.

[Skeevins 322]

Bumped for greatness.

[nthurkettle 148]

Bumped for greatness.

 

As well it should be. It's like one of those old Star Trek episodes where the crew would land on a planet entirely inspired by a historical period on Earth but re-interpreted by aliens - this story takes place on the Greaser Planet.

[Skeevins 322]

 

As well it should be. It's like one of those old Star Trek episodes where the crew would land on a planet entirely inspired by a historical period on Earth but re-interpreted by aliens - this story takes place on the Greaser Planet.

 

Yeah, it's kinda like Gotham from Batman: TAS. Everybody owns a classic car and dresses like Broadway threw up.

[jarrycanada 2483]

I have to say it, I love Willem Dafoe. He's been in some of the coolest movies in the world. and you would think based on his roles that he's played that he is a kind of nickcage super ego like weirdo but he's just a normal guy in real life who just so happens to like playing interesting characters.

 

I think I am going to rewatch, this movie tonight because it's been too long.

Report back with my findings if it's a HDTGM or a TGTGM movie.

 

If you where going to join a biker gang wouldn't you want this guy to be your leader.

 

[jarrycanada 2483]

I don't know, I’ve got mixed feelings about this movie. I don’t like it but I don’t hate it.

 

it's trying to be a musical but it's got no real good songs in it. Only one and it’s used at the end of the movie. it's only 90mins long, something that’s been pointed out by many here a bad sign for a movie. yet it feels like it's 2 hours long by the ending. if it had one more musical act In it I was going to lose it. As far as story goes it’s got not really all that much to tell. Not really a lot here.

 

For the most part from the start of this film is a whos who list of big name actors in like Willem Dafoe who is great btw. Bill Paxton is listed on the credits but they do nothing with him other then let him manage the bar. and I was waiting for him to show up and give us a witty one liner at the very least. Diane Lane who I loved from The Fabulous Stains, but unlike her character in the stains she’s not really that likeable or great here. Elizabeth Daily does a pointless cameo, Ed Begley Jr? I didn’t even see him but IMDB lists him. Rick Moranis who shows up wearing the most incredible plaid suit you've ever seen in your life, serious plaid on plaid action going on here. And who the hell wears a plaid sult with a plaid shirt btw, Crazy.

 

The art direction is great, the city looks dark and a scary place to live.

 

If you do watch this movie, pay attention to the outfits they are outstanding. Willem Dafoe’s leather pants are amazing and he’s gives us such great performance in them.

 

The editing was a bit strange, it had these annoying swipes from scene to scene like the guy editing the movie just learned how to do them and wanted to show off his stuff but over used the swipe scenes. Kind of reminded me of the simpsons when homer was using star swipes.

 

 

Then we have the worlds worst cops who pull over the main character of the story, for speeding but is driving a stolen car, but they let him off with a warning. Ohhh you, next time will give you a ticket. Like that was going to scare him. then the officer points out to his partner. I once found a gun in his car. WHAT!!

 

I love the sissy slap fight scene at the 12:45min mark of the movie.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-B8vrNfppk

found that scene.

 

all in all it was a good fun movie.

[Rag the Rugger 0]

Check out this classic of the 'future-retro' 1980's movie flavoring. Willem Dafoe rules, as always, and there's plenty of Rock and Roll power to keep things moving.

 

Enjoy!

 

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[DirkSteele 2]

Come on, HDTGM, watch this movie! Name any other movie that features a proto Capt. Mal Reynolds dueling a vinyl-clad Willem DaFoe with goddamn sledge hammers, while Rick Moranis, Diane Lane, and Bill Paxton cheer from the sidelines. Do it. I dare you.

[nthurkettle 148]

I will jam "Tonight is What it Means to be Young" while driving. No irony at all. It's written by Meat Loaf's long-time collaborator Jim Steinman and is epic:

[SlidePocket 707]

It's the new episode next week people!